


The Hole

by AngelPines



Category: Gravity Falls, Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Determination (Undertale), Frisk is a Sweetheart, Gen, Gender-Neutral Frisk, Goat Mom Is Best Mom, Mt. Ebott, Mute Frisk, My First AO3 Post, Orphan Frisk, Post-Undertale Genocide Route, Post-Weirdmageddon, Pre-Weirdmageddon, Protective Grunkle Stan, Sans Makes Puns, The Original Mystery Twins, amnesia frisk, but one has happened, dunkle sans - Freeform, not a recent run, so is sans
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-07
Updated: 2018-02-10
Packaged: 2019-02-11 23:00:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 10,578
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12945903
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AngelPines/pseuds/AngelPines
Summary: They were a child. A young, curious child. Did you really think they weren't interested in the bottomless hole that didn't lead to anywhere? Stan should have chosen his words more carefully around the most determined kid in all of Oregon.





	1. The Hole

**Author's Note:**

> Hey! This little crossover of mine has been up for a while on FanFiction, and I'd figured I'd start an account on here and post the same stories. I'll be moving things over steadily, so enjoy the show!  
> "Speaking"  
> Italics are Frisk's thoughts

"In this land of ours, there are many great pits. But none more bottomless than the Bottomless Pit! Which as you can see here is bottomless."

Frisk stood beside the large group of tourists, staring at the large hole. A bottomless pit was theoretically impossible. If they fell down there, they would have to end up somewhere, eventually. It might lead them to a series of caves, or maybe the other side of the world! Maybe this was where the idea of falling through the earth came from!

"You comin' kid?" They blinked, and looked up at the man in the fez. "The group's moving on." So they were. But Frisk wasn't ready to move on quite yet. They shook their head, and dug their heels in the dirt. _No, thank you,_ they smiled silently. _I want to look some more._

"Alright," he shrugged. "Just make sure you leave with the bus when it's time. Weird kid," he mumbled under his breath, and followed after the walking money-he meant tourists. Tourists. Once he went back into the old rickety building, Frisk turned back to the hole. Kneeling down on the soft earth, they leaned closer to look over the edge. Making sure they were still a safe distance from falling in, of course, and hummed.

 _What **is** down there? Would I fall for infinity? Or would I discover a race of mole men? _ Their face lit up at the idea. Now that would be something else. But… how would they find out? They didn't live in Gravity Falls. In fact, they didn't live anywhere.

Frisk, being an orphan, had no family nor home to call their own. They had been moved all over the USA. Only staying in one place for a few months before moving again. Their newest residency was in Ebott, a small village just outside of the unusual town they were in now. The orphanage directors had taken them, the children, to the so-called Mystery Shack for a field trip.

It was… different. But it was a good different. The attractions were so obviously fake, and the man Stanford Pines was an obvious liar. The adults and children were easily swayed, but they weren't. They were smart, and… analytical? Was that the right word? Frisk was only nine, so they weren't quite sure of big words.

The man was interesting though. True, his stories were false, but it was like a good story they couldn't put down. Sort of like the story of Mount Ebott.

Mount Ebott. The mountain in their town with a dark and disturbing history. Dating back hundreds of years, the legend had spoke of how anyone who climbed the mountain never ever returned. This statement had been only increased as in the past several decades, seven children had gone missing. Seven. **Children.** Why was it always kids? Was it because of rough lives? Curiosity? Or was it… something else?

They had a bad life too. Their parents passed away when they were two. Too young to remember them at all. The orphanages they'd gone to weren't always the nicest. They had been beaten, yelled at. It hurt. But they were too scared of death to do anything drastic. Drastic… they couldn't find anything about the second to fifth child, but they knew that was what drove the first child.

Chara.

What a peculiar name. Then again, they were named Frisk. One could even say they were… frisky. Giggling, they stood back up, and went back towards the bus with the rest of their group. Chara was rumored to have been murdered by a monster that somehow escaped the barrier. The humans had shot at it, but it had the strength to bring the body away before it collapsed into a pile of dust.

They weren't sure all monsters would turn to dust if they die. It seemed weird. Like those silly vampire romance novels. When they are exposed to sunlight, they break apart and crumple. They were only guesses though. They'd never get a clear answer…

Not if they did something about it, that is.

* * *

The shining, shimmering full moon bore down on the Mystery Shack. Dipper and Mabel were curled up in their beds, completely ignorant of the happenings outside the house. More specifically, a brown eyed, brown haired, sweater clad child running down the road to its location. It took 2 hours and a bus ride to get to Gravity Falls, and a brief sprint to finally arrive at their destination. Sure, the Bottomless Pit wouldn't lead them to their answer for the monsters, but it was as good a start as any.

 _Alright then._ They bobbed on their feet, staring down into the abyss. Even with the moonlight bathing down on them and the hole, it didn't help the darkness inside it. Besides a few vines around the edges, and rocks jutting out, it was perfectly circular. There still was no clear indication as to what had created such a phenomena, but they were going to find out.

 _Seeing such an adventure laid out before you… fills you with determination!_ Frisk grinned at the idea, and stepped back a few paces. They had nothing holding them back if this plan went south. No family, no close friends.

What was there to lose?

"Hey!" The porch light of the Mystery Shack flickered on, and the shadow of the man from before stepped out. "Who's out there?" How had he spotted them? Frisk looked up at the moon, guessing that the silvery light had lit them up too well. "Kid?" Mr. Mystery walked off the steps, carrying a lantern n his hand and was in a ratty white tank top and blue striped boxers. Ew. "What are you doin' out here? Did you miss your bus?"

He was getting to close. Too close.

They had to act now.

"KID!" The man yelled, but he was too slow. Frisk sprinted towards the hole, and flung themselves in. The wind whipped their short hair around their face, and the large sweater flapped in the breeze around their torso and arms. They could hear the man swear loudly high above them, but by that point, he had faded far behind him.

It was dark now. Pitch, inky black. _How long will I fall for?_ Was it minutes, hours? But the child could see a flash of green far below them… coming in fast. _Grass?_ Their body, before they could even process what was happening, rammed into the ground below. _Ow!_ Silent tears ran down their face, and they shakily pulled their arms under them, desperately trying to push themselves upright.

 _Golden… flowers? They… they saved me._ A large pile of the blossoms grew from a large patch of grass, and Frisk noticed the marble pillars standing tall and proud around them. Where… am I? Blinking back tears, Frisk noticed for once that it wasn't pitch black like the Bottomless Pit. There was… sunlight. Warm, welcoming sunlight, coming from high above them in a hole high above them. But… that didn't make sense. They fell during the night. And the hole shouldn't have led them here.

 _Did that hole… lead me somewhere else?_ Standing up, they grimaced. They could have possibly broken bones on the impact they made with the ground. They needed help. But judging from the state of where Frisk was, who knew when they'd stumble across another person.

 _The forbidden journey ahead of you, filled with fright... fills you with determination!_ Standing as proudly as the nine year old could, they made their way through the cavern.

Footsteps echoing off the stone falls, they entered the next room, and found another patch of grass. _Had there been more people down here?_ There must have been. These pillars were well made, and couldn't have just appeared out of nowhere. Someone must have made them.

"Howdy!" Huh? Frisk stopped, and looked around. Was it their imagination, or had they actually heard someone say-"I'm Flowey!" Eyes trailing down, they gaped at the six petaled golden flower… and the disturbingly human-like face on it. "Flowey the flower!"

 _Talking… flower?_ There was a talking plant in front of them. They were still in Gravity Falls, right? With all the weird stories they've heard, the paranormal seemed to be second nature there, so perhaps the hole did lead them to a series of tunnels under the town. "Hmm… you're new to the Underground, aren'tcha?"

Underground. They weren't even in Gravity Falls anymore. That term was specially used for Mount Ebott and the rumored monsters that resided underneath. Frisk was in Mount Ebott. They were in the Underground; with monsters angry at humanity for their imprisonment.

_Oh no._


	2. Waiting and Ruins

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Making my way down the hole, going fast.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for the attention to this little thing so far! Hopefully, I can come up with more things for this site while I'm at it. Everything I do is OC's in canon works, and that's more Fanfiction than here.  
> "Speaking"  
> Italics are Frisk's thoughts

He couldn't believe it. In all of his 30 years of living in Gravity Falls, Stan Pines had never seen something as foolish and terrifying as a child willingly throwing themselves into a hole. A hole he had **stressed** was bottomless. Which, after having fallen into with the kids and Soos a few weeks ago, could be debated now.

He was thrown right back out, and zero time had passed. Then again, time had passed after he had accidentally knocked himself back in. In conclusion, he had decided that the pit just cycled back up to the top again, time up to its decision. So, naturally, the child in the sweater had to come back up at some point.

"Well, when that happens, I'll be waitin' for them." Stan walked back to the Mystery Shack, and sat down on the couch on the deck. "Dipper and Mabel will be up in a few hours anyway."

So he sat there, and he waited. And waited… and waited…

Three hours, Stan had ended up sitting there. Bored out of his freaking mind. "Geez, kid. What's taking you so long?" He groaned, and got up to walk back over to the pit. Standing a safe distance away, he raised a brow in confusion. "What's goin' on down there?"

* * *

Frisk grinned at the silliness of it all. With their hands on their sides, they shook their hips back and forth. The three moldsmal copied them, and the four shook in sync to an invisible beat. _What a meaningful conversation!_

In their time down in the Underground so far, they had been threatened by a murderous buttercup and been intensely mothered by Toriel the super-goat. The kind woman had told them to remain in the room besides the bowl of candy until she returned, but Frisk was in no state to just sit still! How silly of an idea, when there was so much to discover and look at!

Frisk collected the gold the gelatin creatures left behind, and continued forward. _I wonder what happened to the man who saw me jump in? I hope I didn't worry him too much._

* * *

"Since when did I worry so much about some random kid?" Stan grumbled. They should have showed up by now! What was he going to do? Just sit here waiting, or try to find out where they went?

Where they went… he couldn't believe he was considering this.

He was.

"Dang it." Stan looked around, and watched as the moonlight faded above him as he flew through the black abyss once again. "You better be at the end of this, kid. Whoa!" Stan felt himself fly out of the top just as he had last time, right onto the lawn. The child still nowhere in sight. "Ow." Groaning, he pulled himself to his feet, and turned around. "What the-where are they?"

They should have come right out at the top, unless… unless the tunnel had led them somewhere else altogether.

Well, if that **was** the case, no matter how weird it was, they were bound to show up again in the future. If they came to the Mystery Shack just to fall in, then there should be a reason for them to want to come back. Stan would wait. If he was able to wait for Ford for three decades, he was certainly able to wait for a child.

"Grunkle Stan! Can we have pancakes?" Mabel's voice came from the kitchen. Morning already. The sunrise beating down on him, warming him up from being outside all night.

Mabel and Dipper. How was he going to explain this? Simple. He wasn't. Unless the people of that orphanage came here looking for them, or they finally showed up at his door, then he won't say anything.

"Sure thing, kiddo!" Dusting off the dirt and grass, he walked back into the house and headed to the kitchen. "Mornin' kids."

"Grunkle Stan, why were you outside?" Dipper asked, somewhat suspicious. Why would he be out in the dark in his underwear? Then again, he usually was in his underwear when he was lounging around the house without other people. But this was different.

"Just needed to do some thinking, Dipper. Nothin' to concern yourself with." Dipper could tell he was hiding himself, but he decided to leave it alone. "Pancakes, huh? Mabel, can you get the mix from the cupboard?"

"Sure, Grunkle Stan." Mabel hopped off her chair, and went to get the supplies.

Stan would wait.

He always did.

* * *

Frisk watched as Toriel walked around the barren maple tree, and saw the phone in her paw. _Was she about to call me again?_ It was nice, albeit a bit obsessive with how the motherly monster tried to keep them out of trouble. She kept calling them about how they were doing, pie preferences, and the like. _I wonder if she has any children of her own?_

"How you get here, my child?" Toriel stuffed the phone into her dress, and ran over to them, kneeling. "Are you hurt? There, there, I will heal you." She placed her hand on Frisk's head, and they felt a pleasant warmth flow through them. _My wounds really are healed. Are humans capable of magic like this?_ It would be a blessing for society to be able to fix injuries. Even if major ones couldn't heal completely, it might help ease the pain.

"I should not have left you for so long. It was irresponsible to try to surprise you like this." _Surprise?_ Frisk watched Toriel's face grew into one of embarrassment, and she giggled. "Well, I suppose I cannot hide it any longer. Come, small one!" Toriel walked back to the house, and they took their time following her.

 _The advantages of being tall. She has much longer legs._ Frisk paused at the entrance to the quaint purple brick house, and saw another one of those weird glowing stars. What were the purpose of them, besides healing them and filling them with more determination? They already had plenty to spare. _Seeing such a cute, tidy house in the Ruins gives you determination_ , Frisk grinned. Stepping through the front door, they looked around. It looked just like any other house they had been in. Beige coloring, wooden floorboards, and several potted plants.

"Do you smell that?" Toriel asked. They could. It was sweet, and warm. Like when the orphanage made fresh cookies for the children. "Surprise! It is a butterscotch-cinnamon pie. I thought we might celebrate your arrival. I want you to have a nice time living here." Living here? Frisk tilted their head at the sentence. They had always wanted a mother, or any parental figure in their life. But they weren't very sure about staying under a mountain for the rest of their life. "So I will hold off on snail pie for tonight." _Ew_ , Frisk grimaced. "Here, I have another surprise for you." She walked down the hall, waiting for Frisk to follow. "This is it…" Toriel took their hand, walking them to a yellow door on the left. "A room of your own. I hope you like it!"

Toriel looked down at the child, watching their face lit up in happiness. It brought tears to her eyes. This child was certainly full of energy, but they took the time to figure things out, and enjoyed the little things. But how this child fell down here, she wasn't sure she really wanted to know. Humming, she patted their head, and Frisk looked up at her. "Is something burning…? Um, make yourself at home!" She ran off down the hall, leaving Frisk to their thoughts.

 _She was caught up in the moment._ Smiling, Frisk opened their door and stepped in. It had a bold color scheme of red. The room was obviously made for a child, as they looked at the plushies and child-drawn pictures on the wall. The bed though… how beautiful it looked right now.

 _YES!_ Frisk threw themselves face-first into the pillow, and snuggled under the covers after kicking their shoes off. _Hello bedtime, my old friend!_ Rolling onto their side, they went deeper into the comforter. They needed sleep. They had been up for well over 24 hours. _And I'll be moving further on in the… morning, I guess?_ _Oh well._

They had time. Time was all they had. Well… now they had Toriel. And the old man at the Mystery Shack too. He seemed to care for them, when he thought they were in danger. Whenever they returned, he deserved an apology for having to watch them fall. _The concept of one day seeing the Mystery Man again gives you determination._


	3. Dunkle Sans

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sometimes, all that's needed is a hug from a friend.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for the kudos and hits so far! Hope everyone's having a happy holidays!

Frisk smiled happily as they walked into the stone cavern. The crystals sparkled above their head, lighting up the water trickling by in the stream and down the walls. Was there a river or lake above their heads? Was that where all this water came from? And how did snow end up under the earth too? It was impossible!

They didn't like leaving Toriel, but they had to keep moving. They needed to see everything; to see new things, and to make new friends. It was the adventurer in them to seek out the answers to their questions. Though, finding out that killer weed was following them made them uneasy. Frisk had spotted Flowey a few times, and each time would speed up their walk.

Thankfully, they had Sans.

The short skeleton was their height, big boned, and had a relaxing vibe around him. He loved his brother, and made funny puns. Though… he seemed… like he was sad. Like there was something bothering him. They would have asked, but they had no paper to write a message. And they still had trouble learning how to sign.

"hey, kiddo." Sans grinned, seeing the brunette walk over to his stand. Frisk… they were different this timeline. Yeah, the kid looked the same, and they thankfully weren't acting like… Chara… but there was something new. Something different. But it wasn't bad though. It was good. They were much more observant, and seemed interested in practically everything going on. "how's it goin'?"

Frisk shrugged, smiling at him. Besides their weird date with his younger brother, things were going smoothly. They thought it was a play date at first, but ended up flustering the poor monster into submission at his house. _How fun!_ Did he have something planned for them now too? Because flirting with Sans could be a riot!

"haven't you seen a guy with two jobs before?" Sans winked at them, resting an elbow on the stand and propping his skull up with his hand. "fortunately, two jobs means twice as many legally-required breaks. i'm going to grillby's. wanna come?"

This wasn't a date. Just a simple lunch break. Still perfect. Frisk nodded, drumming their fingers on the station. _Of course!_

"well, if you insist… i'll pry myself away from my work." Holding back a giggle, Frisk watched him walk around and over to them. He wasn't a tall monster, but he still stood an inch or so taller than them. Taking their hand, he squeezed it, to their confusion. _What was that about?_ Frisk watched him, curious as to where he was going with this. "over here. i know a shortcut."

Shortcut? He led them down the cavern, until they felt themselves… vanish? What was that? One minute, they were in Waterfall, and the next they were in the bar. Their head darted around in shock, trying to comprehend what on earth happened. H-how? Teleportation was impossible! Can magic really pull that off? "you alright, kid? you look a little shaken?" Sans asked. Never had that reaction before. Usually, they just went with it.

 _I'm fine_ , Frisk smiled nervously. Sans raised a brow, but went along with it. "fast shortcut, huh? hey, everyone." Greeting the patrons, and earning greetings in return, he led the child to the counter at the front. The only two empty seats in the house. Always for them. Right on time.

"Hey Sans, weren't you just here for breakfast a few minutes ago?" A monster asked a few seats down from them.

"nah, i haven't had breakfast in at least half an hour," Sans replied. "you must be thinking of brunch." Smiling as everyone laughed at the joke, he turned to Frisk. "here, get comfy." Frisk grabbed the counter, and pulled on it to get to the seat. Setting down, they froze as a fart sound came from under them. _Sans!_ They gave him a deadpanned stare, and the skeleton chuckled.

"whoops, watch where you sit down. sometimes weirdos put whoopee cushions on the seats." _Weirdos like you?_ Frisk thought. "anyway, let's order? whaddya want…?" Frisk looked at the menu above their heads, and pointed at the fries. They weren't too hungry. It'd be enough food for now. "hey, that sounds pretty good. grillby, we'll have a double order of fries."

The elemental fire monster nodded, and sat down the glass he was cleaning before heading to the kitchen to make the food. Frisk looked around, and Sans paused from reaching for the plastic comb to 'comb' his 'hair'. "you lookin' for something, pal?" Frisk paused, and grinned. Holding a hand flat, they used their other hand to draw lines on their palm. "you want to write something?"

They never did that before. But hey! More power to them. "uh, here." Reaching into his shorts, he pulled out a small notepad and pencil. "usually, i jot down notes on what's happenin' around here. but you can use it, if you want." Frisk patted his arm in approval, and took the items.

" **How's this?** " Their writing was messy, but they were only a child. "perfect. so, were you lookin' to tell me something?" Frisk nodded, and quickly began writing.

" **I am from Ebott. But I move a lot. Visited Gravity Falls. Fell down Bottomless Pit.** "

Well… that's new.

Bottomless Pit? Gravity Falls? This wasn't his normal Frisk at all. Yes, he knew they were an orphan, but he never heard of them not fully living in Ebott. And what was that about ending up in the Underground from a completely different tunnel? "kid, pal, you gotta be honest with me, okay?"

Frisk nodded, and Sans let his magic flare enough to stop time around them. He wasn't supposed to do this until he asked about the weed, but this was different. This was a different timeline. "you didn't fall down mount ebott? no bad reason behind coming down here?"

Frisk gaped at him, appalled. " **NO! I fell because I was curious!** "

"curious?" They were losing him. "about what?"

" **I jumped in the pit because I wanted to know what was down there. NOT to kill myself.** " They furiously underlined the last part, pouting angrily. " **I knew about rumors of the mountain. But I didn't expect to end up here from another hole in another town.** " Frisk looked away, and slid the pad over to him so he could see the last part clearly. " **I wanted answers. I'm only a child. I'm curious.** "

They were only a child. They never thought they would end up down here. Never thought of any consequences. This kid… this Frisk… they were so much more innocent than the one he was so used to. They didn't even remember the other timelines, for Asgore's sake! Sighing, Sans rubbed his face tiredly. "kid?" Frisk looked at him, and he placed a hand on their cheek. Running his thumb gently, he tried to cheer them up. "i'm not mad. just… worried 'bout you. you remind me of an… old friend."

Change the subject, change the subject! "so, what do you think… of my brother?" Frisk relaxed, thankful for the change in topic, and gave a thumbs up. "of course he's cool. you'd be cool too if you wore that outfit every day. he'd only take that thing off if he absolutely had to. oh well. at least he washes it. and by that i mean he wears it in the shower."

Frisk giggled at that, and Sans beamed. This kid was so pure, he loved it. Grillby finally returned, after Sans let time slip back to normal, and watched Frisk practically drool over the fries. "here comes the grub. want some ketchup?"

" **No thanks. I'll let you relish it.** " Sans sputtered, before laughing loudly at the joke. "nice one, kid. alright then. more for me." He drank from the bottle, and Frisk shook their head fondly. There weren't many adult-like figures they'd befriended. Toriel was one. And it appeared Sans was another.

"anyway, cool or not, you have to agree papyrus tries real hard. like how he keeps trying to be part of the royal guard. one day, he went to the house of the head of the royal guard-huh?" Frisk had spun around in their seat, and leaned forward. "you really want to hear this story, do ya? alright. well, he begged her to let him be in it. of course, she shut the door on him because it was midnight. but the next day, she woke up and saw him still waiting there. seeing his dedication, she decided to give him warrior training. it's, uh, still a work in progress."

" **He's tough. It took forever for him to stand down from the fight.** "

"you got that right." Frisk took a few bites from their fries, and Sans shuffled in his seat. Should he ask? Probably. It was routine, and they might give him a different answer. "oh yeah, i wanted to ask you something. have you ever heard of a talking flower?"

Time once again stood still, and Frisk paled. Nodding slowly, they shakily wrote in the book. " **Echo flower… or otherwise.** "

"so you know what they're about. why i'm askin' this? well, papyrus told me something interesting the other day. sometimes, when no one else is around… a flower appears and whispers things to him. flattery… advice… encouragement… predictions. weird, huh?"

Yeah… weird. He meant Flowey. They knew this. He was warning them. Frisk stared at their lap, finding their shorts very interesting. "i know you know who i'm talkin' about, kid. so do us both a favor, and keep an eye out, okay? we both don't need that weed causing any trouble." Still no response. "aw, man."

Letting things return to normal speed, he turned around to grab their shoulders. Making them look at him dead-on. "kid, i… i promise that nothing's gonna harm you, alright? look at me, and tell me that nothing's gonna go wrong."

How could he be so sure? Frisk felt tears trail down their cheeks, and looked away again. "alright. if that's how you wanna play." Hoping to the floor, he pulled them down too. Still keeping a hold of them, he pulled them into a hug. Frisk felt his skeletal structure move through the hoodie, and the soft thumping of his soul in his rib cage. "you're gonna be safe, kiddo. i'm not gonna let anyone harm ya. you're fine, okay. you're gonna be fine."

Slowly, but willingly, he felt the kid hug him back. "there we go. much better." Frisk grabbed the pad from the counter after letting him go, and showed him a new message.

" **Thank you, Dunkle Sans!** "

"dunkle?" Sans looked at the word to Frisk. "what's that mean?"

" **Not quite a dad, not quite an uncle. You're my dunkle!** "

"oh… my gosh. kid, you're a genius!" That's it. If Toriel wasn't adopting this human at the end, he was. "i am so proud of you right now!" The monsters around them smiled at the scene, and Frisk snuggled into the large hoodie as he continued to laugh.

Sans was nice. He was funny and protective.

And so was Mr. Pines.


	4. A Bit of History

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The one with your skele-friend telling you some rather personal bizz.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope everyone had a happy new year! The last few chapters might be a little slow being posted. Classes for the winter term start next week, which will put a damper on things.

You know, it was hard to tell how long they have been down here. Could've been days or weeks by this point. Hard to tell when you're buried under a mountain.

Frisk climbed up the stairs in Hotland, and wiped the sweat from their brow. After their conversation with Dunkle Sans-the name made his day, they could tell-they fought a scary fish lady and made spaghetti with her, and befriended a socially awkward lizard lady. Alphys was cool though, in their opinion. They both shared a lot of interest in how things worked, and were smarter than they appeared.

Metatton… well, they could live without the TV with a wheel.

"hey, kiddo." Sans grinned at Frisk, seeing them finally arrive at the top of the stairs. "i heard you're going to the core." They nodded. "how about grabbing some dinner with me first?" Frisk's smiled brightly, and nodded again enthusiastically. "great. thanks for treating me." He brought an arm around Frisk, and guided them around the side of the hotel. "over here. i know a shortcut."

 _Not again._ Frisk felt themselves vanish, before reappearing inside an almost empty restaurant. Letting of of the child, Sans moved to the other side of the table, and sat down in his seat. Following his example, Frisk sat down as well. "well, here we are. so, your journey's almost over, huh?"

It was. Frisk hadn't had this much fun in ages. Not since they still has their own parents. But that was so long ago now, it was but a memory. " **It has been fun.** " Frisk wrote on the pad, showing it to the skeleton. " **But I'll miss you guys when I go back.** "

"yeah, kid. i know the feeling." Sans wondered… if this kid didn't have a family like the Frisk from before, would they still be willing to be adopted by Toriel? Did they already have someone waiting for them on the surface? Sans though… he didn't want this Frisk to leave. It didn't seem as if they knew about the timelines, or the resets. In fact, they hadn't reset once since arriving here. It was like a blank slate. Frisk was innocent of the knowledge their old version knew, and he wanted to keep it that way. If he could, he wanted Frisk as his own.

"though…" Sans looked to the side. "maybe sometimes it's better to take what's given to you. down here you've already got food, drink, friends… is what you have to do… really worth it?" Frisk pondered his words, and shrugged. They hadn't harmed anyone, even if that was how the monsters viewed the human population. There was no wrong in what they were doing. Yet… they would miss everyone.

In fact, the only reason why they felt they had to return was because they had left in such a manner that they would have worried the people of the orphanage. That, and they felt guilty for making Mr. Pines worry, seeing them fall into the Bottomless Pit. When they got back, they were heading straight to him first and making up with him.

"ah, forget it. i'm rootin' for ya, kid. hey, let me tell you a story." Sans settled into his seat, feeling the warmth of the candlelight bounce off his skull. "so i'm a sentry in snowdin forest, right? i sit out there and watch for humans. it's kind of boring. fortunately, deep in the forest… there's this HUGE locked door."

" **Toriel.** " They wrote. Sans nodded, pleased they were willing to respond.

"and it's perfect for practicing knock knock jokes. so one day, i'm knocking 'em out, like usual. i knock on the door and say 'knock knock'. and suddenly, from the other side… i hear a woman's voice. 'who is there'?" Frisk smothered a laugh, hearing him try to impersonate Toriel's voice. "i'm tryin' my best, kid. bear with me here. so, naturally, i respond: 'dishes'. 'dishes who'? 'dishes a very bad joke'," he winked. Frisk giggled again, and Sans chuckled himself.

"then she just howls with laughter. like it's the best joke she's heard in a hundred years. so i keep 'em coming, and she keeps laughing. she's the best audience i've ever had. then, after a dozen of 'em, SHE knocks and says… 'knock knock'! i say 'who's there'? 'old lady'! 'old lady who'? 'oh! i did not know you could yodel'!"

" **Toriel was always full of bad jokes. You two must have gotten along well.** " They did. Besides Grillby, and Papyrus, Toriel was one of the few people he could really call a close friend.

"we kept telling each other jokes for hours. eventually, i had to leave. papyrus gets kind of cranky without his bedtime story. but she told me to come by again, and so i did. then i did again. and again. it's a thing now. telling bad jokes through the door. it rules."

Should he tell them about the promise? Sans looked to the side again, his mind a confused mess. They should know. If he didn't say something now, there would be a good chance they would figure it out on their own. "one day, though, i noticed she wasn't laughing very much. i asked her what was up. then she told me something strange. 'if a human ever comes through this door… could you please, please promise something? watch over them, and protect them, will you not'?"

Sans was their bony guardian angel. Frisk stared at him in shock. Had Toriel… made this promise for them specifically? Or was it… for the past humans who have fallen down here before them?

"now, i hate making promises. and this woman, I don't even know her that well." Can't say he didn't know her name. Frisk already got him to admit to that. "but… someone who sincerely likes bad jokes… had an integrity you can't say 'no' to."

" **Sans? Was this promise for me? Or was it for other humans who fell before?** "

"hehe, ah, guess you would've already pieced that together. it was after the second child had been… lost, when she told me this." He couldn't say killed. True, the kid probably already knew it, but it felt wrong to say it aloud. "do you get what i'm saying? that promise i made to her… you know what would have happened if she hadn't said anything? buddy…"

Letting his sockets go void, he gave them a hollow stare. "you'd be dead where you stand." Frisk gave him a deadpanned look, and shook their head. He'd never murder them. He was fooling with them at this point. They weren't scared in the slightest.

"... geez, kiddo. glad to know you can see right through me." Better than the last time he did this. Frisk had fallen out of their chair in shock. Another time they were close to tears. Now they couldn't care less. "i've done my job protecting you, right? you haven't been bothered by that weed since snowdin, huh?"

He did say he would keep them safe, when they felt so scared and threatened. " **Sans. When I get out of here, I will break the barrier. I want to free you guys.** " Gravity Falls would be a perfect place for them all to stay in. They could even be the ambassador to help integrate them into society!

"i don't doubt it for a second, kid." Hopping off his chair, he walked towards the door. "well, that's all. take care of yourself, frisk. 'cause someone really cares about you." He walked out of the dining area, leaving a startled Frisk behind.

Since when had they… ever mentioned their name to Sans?


	5. Viva Gravity Falls

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Next stop: west of weird and north of normal.

Frisk blinked, wincing at the bright white light flooding their eyes. Where were they? Did they… Asriel! _Where's Asriel?_ Sitting up, they looked around in alarm.

The events leading up to this moment… battling Mettaton, finding out about the truth on what led to the war between monsters and humans, Asgore, the gang… Flowey being Asriel reincarnated… it all led to this moment. They had freed Asriel's tortured conscious, and b… they broke the barrier.

The barrier was broken.

"frisk." A blue and white blur grabbed the kid, trying to stop them from shaking. Sans knelt down, watching the child tear up. This wasn't... where was Asriel? Did he leave before returning to his flower form? Couldn't he have said goodbye before he...? "come on, kid. it's alright. it's all over now." Frisk, still shaken, nodded into his hoodie. "there ya go." He let the child stand up, but still held their arm in case they fell over. Toriel, Papyrus, Asgore, Undyne, and Alphys watched them, gathered around the two in a circle. Toriel's face brightened, seeing the child awake.

"W-we were so worried…!" Alphys cried. "It felt like you were out forever!" How long **were** they out for? Frisk had no way of keeping track of time in the Underground, so day and night seemed to not exist. But the battle against Asriel seemed to take forever.

They didn't like fighting, and constantly refused. Even… even if that meant their soul had to shatter half a dozen times to win in the end.

"Yeah! Any longer and I would have freaked out!" Undyne added. "Tell us next time you decide to take a nap, okay!?"

Sans grinned, feeling Frisk slowing relax in his grip. "yeah. you made papyrus cry like a baby." Frisk giggled at that. Papyrus did seem like the overemotional kind.

"WHAT! I DIDN'T CRY! I DON'T CRY! I JUST… CAUGHT SOMETHING IN MY EYE." Papyrus looked to the side, ashamed.

"what did you catch?" Sans pressured.

"TEARS!" Frisk saw the water stains on his cheekbones, proving his claim.

"Now, now. The important part is that Frisk is all right," Asgore told them all. Frisk stared up at the king in shock. When did-how did he know their name? Did he just hear it now when Sans mentioned it? "Here, Frisk. Why not drink some tea? It'll make you feel better." He pulled out a cup from his robe, and Frisk waved their hands to disagree. They were fine, just… exhausted.

"Err… how about we give them space, first?" Toriel suggested. "They must be very exhausted." Toriel saw the thankful look Frisk gave them, and smiled. "Though, from what I am not certain. Frisk… we do not remember exactly what happened. There was a flower… and then, everything went white." They… they were only souls, while inside Asriel. True, their emotions and feelings were there, but memory-wise, they couldn't recall a thing. Frisk glanced at Sans, and he gave a sly wink.

 _Figured he'd remember. But… how? How does he know what happened? How does Sans know my name?_ They needed to talk to him about this as soon as they could. It might be really important. "But now the barrier is gone," Toriel finished. "When you are ready, we will all return to the surface. It seems the door to the east will lead us there now. But before then… perhaps you might want to take a walk? You can say goodbye to all of your wonderful friends. Do as you wish. We will all wait for you here."

Frisk nodded slowly at the idea, and reached for their pocket. Pulling out the notebook, they began writing a reply. " **I have all my friends here. Why would I say goodbye, when we're all going out into the world together?** " They beamed at the goat, and Toriel tried not to tear up at their kind words. " **I am ready.** "

If they leave here, their adventure would truly be over. They would no doubt never return to the Underground again. All of their newfound friends would follow them out. They… they were ready. They were always ready. They started this journey to find answers, and managed to save an entire civilization. How many children could claim that?

It's time for monsters to finally go free.

They gang stood in front of the large door, and Frisk put their hands on the oaken panels. This was it. _From now on, everything changes_. With a loud creak, Frisk pushed open the door, and the setting sun filled the cavern. Grinning, Frisk jogged out ahead of everyone to the cliff's face, seeing the mountains and ruined castle in the distance.

They were out.

They were free.

"Oh my…" Toriel held a paw to her mouth in aw, as they all lined up beside Frisk to see the sun for either the first time in years, or for the first time in their life.

"Isn't it beautiful, everyone?" Asgore asked.

"Wow… it's e-even better than on TV," Alphys said. "WAY better! Better than I ever imagined!"

"Frisk, you LIVE with this!?" Undyne spread their arms out, soaking in the warmth of the Oregon sun. "The sunlight is so nice… and the air is so fresh!" She closed her eyes, flashing her fangs in a grin. "I really feel alive!"

"HEY SANS… WHAT'S THAT GIANT BALL?" Papyrus pointed at the sun, setting over the hills. Sans chuckled, feeling the heat on his skull. Definitely an unusual timeline, but the best one of them all. Hopefully, the kid wouldn't reset anytime soon. Not likely. Frisk hadn't loaded at any point during their journey. It seemed they could still save, but it was more of a mental surge of determination than the 'glowing star' the kid had mentioned three runs ago.

"we call that 'the sun', my friend." Frisk and him still stood beside each other, with Toriel on the kid's side, and Papyrus on the skeleton's.

"THAT'S THE SUN!? WOWIE! I CAN'T BELIEVE I'M FINALLY MEETING THE SUN!"

"I could stand here and watch this for hours…" Asgore murmured. Everyone nodded, and Frisk couldn't help the surge of pride in their chest. They did this. The Bottomless Pit. The thing that man warned them not to jump in, led to this very moment. They didn't regret a single thing… except…

They should find Mr. Pines and apologize. However long they were down there, they must have worried him sick.

"Yes, it is beautiful, is it not?" Toriel agreed. "But we should really think about what comes next."

"Oh, right. Everyone… this is the beginning of a bright new future. An era of peace between humans and monsters. Frisk… I have something to ask of you." Frisk turned to look up at Asgore. What did the king want with them? "Will you act as our ambassador to the humans?"

The… what?

Did… the ambassador? That was a huge title! They were only nine, but… could they really do this? _Hmmm… okay then. I have an idea._ " **If everyone's willing to help me when I need it, I'll do it.** "

"YEAH! FRISK WILL BE THE BEST AMBASSADOR! AND I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS… WILL BE THE BEST MASCOT! I'LL GO MAKE A GOOD FIRST IMPRESSI-!"

A loud crack echoed through the sky, making them jump. Sans looked around in confusion. That wasn't supposed to happen-what was **that!?**

A bright pink light burst from the sky miles away, creating a sonic boom. The color died down, as it seemed to reach the border of Ebott before fading out completely.

 _What was in that direction?_ Frisk blinked, before almost jumping back in alarm. _Mr. Pines. That was Gravity Falls over there!_ "whoa, kid? where are you goin'? frisk!" Sans called out, as the kid broke away and began sprinting down the trail of the mountain, hair bouncing in their rush. Frisk's notebook came flying back behind them, with one message hastily scrawled on it for him to read.

" **Mr. Mystery needs my help!** "

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's been a while since I've posted last, huh? Sadly, there's only one chapter left in The Hole. Better make it count!


	6. Dunkles and Grunkles

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Stan is the best uncle, even to kids who aren't even his own.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks everyone who's taken the time to read this silly little story of mine. Here's the final chapter of The Hole!

Running all the way back to Gravity Falls was familiar in every sense of the manner. Both times were centered on heading to the Mystery Shack as fast as their legs could carry them. Frisk had taken the lead, and led them through the woods back to where they had fallen down. They had wondered what the other monsters might react if they had found out the barrier was destroyed, but Asgore assured them only he and a select others were able to go there.

Which... raised the question how their friends got there, but seeing that Papyrus led them all there, they weren't going to question it that much.

By the time they reached the town, it was late afternoon, and to Frisk's surprised, the entire population looked like they went through a fight. Clothes torn, dirt and blood on their skin; it was not what they expected at all.

"gee, kid. this is where ya came to end up with us?" Sans asked. He didn't know what to feel, looking at this disaster before them. They were watching from the treeline, as several people were being treated in a triage.

"What had happened here?" Toriel asked, holding a hand to her mouth in horror. Frisk didn't know. How long were they gone for? Days? Weeks? Months!? Seeing a sign for the Mystery Shack on a power pole, they quickly pointed at it. "Is that where you would like to go, Frisk?" They nodded, and continued their brisk walk.

"Hey, punk? Why'd you come here instead of going to the mountain like everyone else?" Undyne asked. Frisk felt Sans hand them back their notepad, and scribbled a note. " **I was curious. Adventurous. To me, the Bottomless Pit led me there.** "

"A p-pit?" Alphys asked. "And it led you th-there? M-maybe it's some sort of-"

" **Loop. It leads out to random locations, or you never come back out.** " Frisk saw the Mystery Shack's roof in the distance, and picked up their pace. _Please let Mr. Mystery be alright. Please._ As they popped out of the woods, they gasped. The area was totaled. The building was breaking apart in front of them, with beams falling apart and holes in the roof. _N-no. No, no, no!_ "frisk?" Sans watched as their eyes watered, and they dashed towards the building. Ducking under a beam in the doorway, they looked around. _Please, please let him not have been home. Please!_

Several laughs came from the living room, and Frisk froze. _Was… was that...?_ Stepping slowly towards the door of the living room, they felt their heart relax. There he was. Mr. Pines in a chair, hugging those two twins that helped out in the gift shop. The handyman was there too, along with a man who looked like Mr. Pines. A twin perhaps?

The mystery man looked up, and his eyes caught Frisk's. "Hello there." They all looked over at them, and Frisk blushed, suddenly nervous at the attention. Mr. Pines' eyes squinted at them for a moment, seeming to try and recall where he had met the quiet kid before… wait.

"Kid? You're… you're alive?" They all looked at him in shock, and he stood up from the chair. Walking over to Frisk, he knelt down, and rested a hand on their shoulder. "You're back?" Frisk tearfully nodded, and hugged the man before anything else could happen.

"Stanley, you… you know them?" The other man asked, sounding quite surprised.

Why wouldn't he remember them? It's hard to forget about a kid jumping into a pit. "Ye-yeah… I thought you weren't comin' back. Kid, you've been gone for over two weeks. Where did that hole lead you?" He-Stanley asked. Stanley sounded weird to Frisk. Stan suited him much better.

" **I rescued a civilization of monsters and was made their ambassador!** " Frisk wrote happily, taking their notebook to write down the reason.

"Great Uncle Ford, what are they talking about?" The boy asked, looking up at the man in confusion. "Mabel, have you ever seen this kid before?"

"Maybe. Dipper, weren't they from that field trip a few weeks back from Ebott?" Mabel looked at Frisk, and they nodded. "How did you get back here?" Frisk moved Stan's hand, and pointed to the outside. _This way!_

Walking outside, the Pines plus Soos followed them. They knew Stan's memory would take a long, long time to recover from being erased, but why was it that he could recall this child so quickly? If it was due a strong memory, and a recent one at that, then it made sense his mind would recall them faster than they had prepared for. Ford helped Stan outside, with the kids and Soos behind them. When they got outside, Frisk beamed at them as they spun around.

Seeing an unknown group of monsters behind the child… not what any of them expected.

"i take it this is the guy you wanted to see again, frisk?" Sans raised a brow at their enthusiasm, grinning. Frisk nodded, and hugged his arm.

"The monsters of Mount Ebott," Ford murmured. "Of course." He had heard of the myths behind the mountain, and by the looks of things, so did this mute child. They broke the barrier-they broke the barrier! How!? That thing was constructed of a highly advanced level of magic! Looking at the different monsters before him, he focused on the large goat that no doubt was the king. "I believe you are the ruler?"

Asgore nodded, and held out his hand for Ford to shake. "Howdy. I am Asgore Dreemurr."

Stan was confused. Why were they acting so nice to these odd creatures? Did… did it matter? Ford seemed comfortable, and so did the others. A little hesitant, but not terrified. The kid, Frisk-that's what the skeleton called them-walked back over to him, guiding the monster. Frisk smiled widely at him, and wrote another message. " **Stan, this is Sans. He's my dunkle!** "

Dunkle? That sounded… familiar. Like… great uncle… grunkle? Y-yeah. Grunkle Stan. That's who he was to the kids, right? The skeleton, Sans, held out his hand, and they shook. "heya," Sans greeted him. Not exactly who he thought Frisk was so freaked out over. They didn't mention any sort of amnesia earlier. Maybe it was a recent event from whatever caused this. "nice to finally meet you."

"Uh, same." Everyone else was talking with each other, with very loud greetings from Undyne and Papyrus. Sans wouldn't have been interested in what they were talking about, until he heard the man, Ford, say something about… a demon?

What exactly had happened since Frisk was last on the surface?

"Ah, let them stay, Poindexter." They all turned to Stan, who had his hands placed on Frisk's shoulders. They grinned pleasantly at them all, seeing no harm in his words. "This knucklehead owes me for that hole jumping stunt I did." _He jumped in after me?_ Frisk gaped at him, face red. "Hey, it's not your fault, kiddo. Who would've thought you'd end up under Mount Ebott?"

_Yeah… who would have thought._

* * *

 

A week had passed since the group's unexpected arrival in the town. Since then, they had learned a few… interesting things about their new home.

Asgore had informed the monster population about the status of the barrier, and in groups, were brought to Gravity Falls. Some wanted to stay, finding their true home under the mountain, but a majority came to the surface. Ebott remained clueless of the transfers, not seeing the movement in the trees as they traveled to the other town.

Gravity Falls was more than welcoming. Turned out, they had their own monster population that lived in secret. And after the so-called Weirdmageddon, they were allowed to be more open around the townsfolk. It was temporary though. Once things settled, they would alert the world about the barrier, and begin the work of integrating them into society.

Frisk, Dipper, and Mabel got along quite well. Mabel claimed it was because Frisk wore a sweater too, but that just got them giggling. Dipper shared their interest in the paranormal and questioning of things beyond the norm, and had told them all about their adventures that summer. In return, they told them about their time in the Underground.

Sans kept cracking jokes, saying that they had found themselves a twin. It was hard to argue back.

It was only a few hours until they had to leave. It was the end of the summer, and Dipper and Mabel were heading back to California. Stan's memory had come back with everyone's help, especially Ford's. He was determined to bring his brother back. Sans knew the feeling. Thank goodness this kid didn't remember old timelines. They'd never forgive themselves for a genocide run.

What really changed how the week went… was when they finally got a chance to sit down with Sans, and talk about their time with everyone under the earth.

" **Sans, how do you know who I am? You knew my name, before I mentioned it too anyone.** " Sans looked away, scratching the back of his skull. Shivering at the scratchy sound of the bone, Frisk leaned closer. They were up on one of the cliffs overlooking the valley, with the abandoned train tracks going from one side to the other.

"look, kid. you're… i knew ya before. there's these things called timelines, and with your soul trait, you're able to alter time itself. go back to a certain point and redo mistakes… or undo your entire journey and start again." Why… why didn't he tell them this before? "you've done this journey a lot, frisk. and i mean, **a lot**. you have any idea how it feels to be ripped away from your freedom?"

He was scaring them. Whoops. Frisk was shivering, head down and avoiding his sockets. "c'mere, kid." He wrapped an arm around them, and Frisk hesitantly looked back up. "not sure what happened during the last reset, but normally, you keep your memories. now… now you're someone entirely different. that's not technically a bad thing. this had been the most… unique timeline you've had. but here's the thing… are ya gonna reset?"

Frisk broke out of his hold, and violently shook their head. Why would they want to go back? After all they did? True, they… they wished they could have saved Asriel, but there was no way that could be done. Even if there was, they didn't want to reset and put Sans and everyone else back down there for a failed effort. _Never, Sans!_

Sans chuckled, and patted their head. He had assumed so. This kid was more thoughtful than before. "thought so. hey, uh, one last thing." Here goes nothing. "in previous runs, you usually got adopted by toriel. but i was, heh, wonderin' if-"

Frisk stopped him when they grabbed for their notebook, and showed him a single word. " **Yes.** " They wanted to be apart of his family. They loved Toriel, yes, but they loved Sans more. He kept them safe, and knew them best. Maybe that alternate timeline stuff didn't make much sense to them, but he could relate to them the best. He was their dunkle after all. Sans beamed, and hugged the child. "hehehe. ha ha ha ha! frisk, you have no idea how much that means to me."

The two clung to each other, as the wind blew the towering pine trees branches over their heads. One for happiness, and the other for comfort. _Now… to thank Grunkle Stan._

* * *

The monsters were intermingled in the crowd, watching Mabel and Dipper give their best wishes to everyone for the summer. Stan and Ford were clapping off to the side, and Ford discretely led Stan to the side of the house. Frisk blinked, and tugged on Sans' hoodie. Pointing at where they vanished, Sans shrugged at the kid's worry. "it's probably nothin', frisk."

"IS FRISK REALLY STAYING WITH US, SANS?" Papyrus asked. Once he had informed them of his wish to have the human join his family, they were all on board. Toriel was slightly disappointed Frisk wouldn't be staying with her, but congratulated Sans in his choice. Sans was too young to be a father, of course. But after looking over Papyrus, he could handle it.

Stan and Ford returned to the stage, and called for everyone's attention. "Everyone, I have an announcement to make. Me and my… heh! Nerdy bro over here have some catchin' up to do. We're gonna be away for a while. That's why I'm shutting down the Mystery Shack for good." Stan declared, and everyone gasped and murmured at the news. Frisk blinked, equally shocked. Did that mean they would never see him again?

"You shut down your mouth for good!" Soos yelled, pushing past Dipper and Mabel. "I'm sorry, Mr. Pines. It's just that this shack is the most magical place on earth. Sure, the attractions are all fake, but dreams aren't fake!" He held up a mermaid taxidermy, and Frisk grimaced at the sight. "Like, this mermaid. It's not just a dead fish butt sewn to a monkey carcass. It's a marvelous creature that makes us believe that anything is possible. You shut down this shack, and you shut down our dreams! At least… my dreams." He dropped the dead animal, and took his hat off sadly.

The crowd awed at his words, and Frisk looked at them worriedly. The kids were concerned too. No one wanted the place to close, but what other choice was there? Stan sighed regrettably. "I'm sorry, Soos. It's just, there's no one around to run it. At least, there wouldn't be if I hadn't just found the perfect replacement." Stan took his fez off, and placed it on Soos' head. "Ladies and gentlemen, the Mystery Shack is under new management!"

Frisk applauded loudly, smiling. This was great! It wouldn't close after all! Sans ruffled their hair, enjoying the fact the kid was getting so into it. "You… you mean it, Mr. Mystery?" Soos asked Stan.

"You're Mr. Mystery now, Soos. Try not to burn the place down." Stan chuckled, whacking the hat on his head playfully.

The party wound down slowly after that. People began to return home, and so did the monsters that had come to watch too. At the end, it was just the Pines, Soos and Wendy, Frisk, and their family. Frisk was busy writing to Mabel, promising to be there at the bus stop to say proper goodbyes. And of course, exchange email addresses. Stan walked up the two, and tapped Frisk on the shoulder. "Hey, kid. Mind if I talk with ya for a moment?"

Frisk nodded, and Mabel walked off to the others to give them privacy. "Thanks, for… comin' back. Ya didn't have to, you know." Frisk shook their head. _Of course I'd come back, Stan._ "Heh. So, uh, me and my brother have been talkin', and I know that you've got the responsibility of dealin' with all these monsters, but I don't suppose you wouldn't mind joinin' us for a few weeks?"

Wh… what? He-he wanted them to join them? "I know, it's a silly idea, right? You've got that whole 'ambassador' thing goin' on, and you've just gone through whatever happened under that mountain. It's fine if you don't-"

"… S… Stah."

Stan froze, and stared in shock at the kid. Did they… did they just speak? "St… Stahhh… Stahhn." Everyone turned to Frisk in disbelief. Sans was equally shocked. Frisk was always silent. They had never, never spoken before, as far as he could remember. This voice, was almost silent, and showed signs of rarely being used. Frisk grinned, pleased with themselves. "Stahhn." It was quiet, and badly pronounced, but it was his name. Frisk had said his name.

"You can speak?" The first word this normally mute kid had ever said was his name. _Tr-try not cry, Stanley._ Frisk nodded again, and scribbled a quick note. " **I want to go with you.** "

"kid, are ya sure 'bout that?" Frisk leaned around Stan, and nodded at Sans. They had made it clear they would need help with being an ambassador. They were only a child, after all. But that didn't mean they weren't done exploring the world. Asking questions, and searching for answers. Some time with Stan was just what they needed. They owed it to him, for having put him through that mess in the first place. " **Gravity Falls first. Once you're used to the town, and everyone accepts, then we integrate with the rest.** " It was a plan. A rough plan, but a plan.

Sans moved over to the-his. His child, and grinned. "alright, frisk. but i'm comin' with. need to keep an eye socket, remember?" He winked, and Frisk giggled into their hands.

Frisk had come to the conclusion this world was weird. Weird, and wonderful. Things certainly had changed since they had that field trip. A family, new friends, and adventure to spare. Dipper was right. Why wish for it, when you've already got it? They wanted answers, and they got them.

* * *

Stan closed the lid of the car, wiping sweat from his brow. It had been a few days since the kids had gone home, and he had Ford were ready to head out to where their newly bought boat was. It was… interesting, and odd, that he had requested Frisk to come with them. But they were ecstatic to join him. Same with their Dunkle Sans.

Swear, that kid was some distant relative of his to come up with that name.

"heya." Stan jumped, and turned around to see Sans standing there with a bag of his own. Frisk held his hand, and waved at him. "sorry we're late. the others wanted to say their goodbyes first." Papyrus had bawled when he had to leave, but he had promised to call him every night. He still loved his bedtime stories. "where's ford?"

"Right here. Are we all ready?" Ford walked out of the Mystery Shack, a crossbow in his hands. Frisk gave a confused look, and he smiled. "There is no doubt we will encounter dangers during our travels. Not all of us can use magic."

"good thing i'm here, eh Frisk?" Frisk nodded, and Sans opened the door. "let's go, kiddo." Ford put the weapon back there with them. Several boxes were shoved on the side, so Sans ended up on the opposite side with Frisk in between. Moving into the passenger seat, Ford looked up at Stan.

"Ready, Stanley?" He asked. Stan nodded, and before he stepped into the driver's seat, his eyes caught a glimpse of the Bottomless Pit behind the house. Hard to think, that both of their adventures started with that stupid hole. Looked like it paid off for both of them in the end though.

"Ready." He sat into his seat, but before turning the key, he looked in the mirror at Frisk. "Hey, kid. Bet you're glad I didn't stop you from jumping into that thing, huh?" Frisk stuck out their tongue, but smiled back. "Still a weird kid, but, heh, that's what makes you so great."

Sans wrapped his arm around Frisk, and they snuggled into his side. _Hehe. Thanks, Grunkle Stan._ "Y… you… you're grea… t… too."


End file.
